Bylaws
Caldwell Honors for Students
ORGANIZATION
Caldwell Exempted Village Schools
BYLAWS
Adopted and Effected November 7, 1994
Amended September 11, 1995
Amended Oct. 1, 2012
ARTICLE I
Name of Organization
The name of this organization shall be “Caldwell Honors for Students” Organization (CHS)
ARTICLE II
Purpose and Mission Statement
The mission of this organization shall be the promotion, recognition, award and reward of outstanding and complimentary academic, community and school leadership, scholastic achievement and contribution to the overall benefit of the individual student, school at large, the community and fellow students of the Caldwell Exempted Village Schools.
ARTICLE III
Membership
III.1 The membership of this Organization shall be open to all persons, business, industries and other organizations in or affiliated with the Caldwell Exempted Village School system and is interested in enhancing the academic program of the school district.
III.2 Membership, donations and fund raising activity shall be the primary means of support for this Organization.
ARTICLE IV
Officers and elections
IV.1 The Officers of the “Caldwell Honors for Students” Organization shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
IV.2 Active members of the organization shall be eligible to hold office. The excepted membership ineligible for this service shall be limited only to students. Faculty and staff of Caldwell Exempted Village Schools may hold office but is strictly limited to Secretary and/or Treasurer.
IV.3 Officers of the Organization shall be elected by majority vote from the active membership of the Organization for a period of one year beginning September 1. For purpose of definition, active membership is exclusively limited to those members who hold a fully paid membership status at the time of election of officers. Elections shall be held at the last meeting of the year prior to the effective date of service by the newly elected Officers of the Organization.
IV.4 Nominations of these officers shall be made by a Nominating Committee selected and appointed by the standing President of the Organization. The consent of the nominees will be obtained by the committee before the name is placed in nomination.
IV.5 Duties of the elected officers shall be:
IV.5a The President shall preside at all meetings, appoint all committee chairpersons and be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. This Office shall specifically be charged with direct communication with the Principal and Guidance Counselor of the Caldwell Exempted Village Schools.
IV.5b The Vice President shall, in the absence of the President, perform duties of the office. Specifically, this Officer shall initiate any correspondence from the Organization to the business community and dissemination of any public information as it should appear in printed and electronic media. Additionally, this Office shall chair the Scholarship and Finance Committee. The Vice President shall become President upon vacancy of that office.
IV.5c The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings and be responsible for all correspondence of the Organization, between officers, administration, members and the community.
IV.5d The Treasurer shall be responsible for all financial transactions of the Organization. The Treasurer shall keep an itemized accounting of all receipts and disbursements of the Organization and will be responsible for maintaining the IRS status of this Organization. It is understood that the Treasurer cannot at the singular discretion of the office, make payments for obligations of the Organization without the dual signatures of the office and that of the President of the Organization. Further, should the President of the Organization be unable to fulfill this duty, then the Vice President shall be empowered to this duty.
On a timely basis, but not less than on a quarterly schedule, the Treasurer shall provide an internal audit of the financial status of the Organization for review by the Officers of the Organization and will submit a yearly financial statement for independent audit by the Caldwell Exempted Village Schools system Treasurer and Auditor.
IV.5e The Principal and Guidance Counselor of the Caldwell Exempted Village School system shall retain standing seats with the officers of the Organization. Their singular purpose is to provide input to the Officers and Committees of the Organization, may from time to time to preside over appointed committees, but shall retain no voting privileges by executive decision of the officers and/or executive committees.
ARTICLE V
Committees
V.1 Standing committees shall be designated by the officers of the organization.
V.1a Administrative/Budget and Finance Committee
This committee shall consist of the Vice-President, who shall serve as chairman, the President and the Treasurer. This committee presents the budget for approval at the first general business meeting of the Organization.
V.1b Endorsement and Fulfillment
This committee shall consist of the Officers of the Organization. Standing seats are the High School Principal and the Guidance Counselor, serving as advisors for this group, and as at large members of the Organization. The committee will evaluate and screen all proposals presented to the Organization as well as investigate their own project ideas as presented by outside interested groups or from within the Organization for recommendation to the General Membership.
V.2 Special committees shall be appointed by the President when deemed necessary.
V.2a Membership Committee
V.2b Ways and Means
V.2c Promotions and Fund raising Coordinators
V.3 An Executive Committee shall consist of the officers and the Committee Chair of this Organization
ARTICLE VI
Advisory Board
VI.1 The Advisory Board shall consist of the President and Vice President of the Organization, the Principal, Guidance Counselor, Faculty member and two Student Leadership Council members of the Caldwell High School.
VI.2 The purpose of the Advisory Board shall be
VI.2a The exchange of ideas and information consistent with the mission of the Organization and academic enhancement of the student body of the Caldwell Exempted Village School system.
VI.2b Exploration of means to create additional opportunities for the Organization and its mission.
VI.2c The Board will meet annually at the beginning of the Academic year and thereafter as necessary. The President of the Organization shall call these meetings.
ARTICLE VII
Meetings
VII.1 General meetings will be scheduled by the Organization on a monthly basis. This meeting is for the benefit of all members of the Organization.
VII.2 Executive officers shall meet from time to time throughout the year as necessary to fulfill the mission of the Organization. These meetings shall be called by the President of the Organization.
VII.3 Special meetings of Boards and Committees may be called from time to time by the President of the Organization. The initiation of requests for such meetings may be made by any standing member of that Committee or Board.
VII.4 A quorum for any meeting of this Organization shall be at least five members of which two must be officers of the Organization.
ARTICLE VIII
Parliamentary Authority
VIII.1 Parliamentary authority shall be dictated by Roberts Rules of Order and shall be final authority in all matters not otherwise covered by these By-Laws.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
IX.1 These By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Organization, provided the proposed amendment has been presented at the previous meeting of the General Membership and the proposed amendment is approved by a two-thirds vote of the present voting membership.
ARTICLE X
Non Discrimination Clause
X.1 The Caldwell Honors for Students Organization hereby gives notice that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, sex or handicap in the educational enhancement programs, scholarships and activities operated by this Organization.
ARTICLE XI (Amended & Accepted by the Executive Committee 10/1/2012)
Awards
XI.1 Students may earn an academic letter provided they meet the criteria as outlined below. The guidance counselor and/or principal will compile and certify the list of letter winners and see that the awards are distributed annually during a student recognition event.
Criteria One: The student must be enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in the Caldwell Exempted
Village School District. Students at Caldwell High School, students participating
in the Post-Secondary Educational Options Program, and students attending a
career center in the Mid-East Technology and Career Centers consortium shall be
included.
Criteria Two: Students new to the district will be included provided their grades were earned at
a school recognized as “accredited” and funded through the State Department of
Education in the state in which he or she attended.
Criteria Three: Students must be enrolled full-time during each grading period under
consideration. Caldwell High School students and Career Center students must be
enrolled in classes equal to 5 credits or more.
Students participating in the Post-Secondary Educational Options Program must
be enrolled in a minimum of 13 semester hours each grading period.
Criteria Four: Students attending Caldwell High School, and students attending one of the
Career Centers must earn at least a 3.3 grade point average during each of the first
three grading periods of the current school year, and at least a 3.3 grade point
average during the last 9 weeks of the previous school year.
Students participating in the Post-Secondary Educational Options program must
have achieved at least a 3.3 grade point average during the fall semester, and
during the last grading period of the previous school year.
The last 9 weeks of 8th grade will not be included in the qualifying criteria for
freshmen.
Criteria Five: Students with incomplete grades will not be considered until letter grades are
assigned.
Criteria Six: Summer school, special sessions, and courses completed outside of a regular school
day will not be considered when certifying letter winners.
XI.2 The Academic Letter shall be of a design featuring CHS embedded with a Lamp of Knowledge and shall be distinctly different from that letter awarded for Athletic performance. The Academic Letter may be included upon the currently sanctioned Athletic Jacket if the student has achieved both honors, but any student receiving the Academic Letter shall have the option of displaying their achievement on another article of clothing consistent with the dress code standards set forth by the Student Code of Conduct.
XI.3 Students who earn an academic letter for the second, third, or fourth time will be given a pin to be placed on the original letter.
XI.4 At the completion of each applicable grading period, the faculty will select two students from each grade level as nominees to receive the honor of STUDENT OF THE GRADING PERIOD. The criteria of this award will include any area of academic, school involvement or efforts for the benefit of fellow students and will not be in conjunction with any specific grade point average. A nominee may not be failing any subject at the time of nomination, and a student may win only once during each Academic year. Recognition for this honor shall include:
XI.5a Certificate of Achievement posted in a prominent place within the school for the next full grading period, with that award then given to the student’s personal possession.
XI.5b 1 point toward the Academic Letter
XI.5 Final selection of the candidates for STUDENT OF THE GRADING PERIOD will be forwarded to the Guidance Counselor and Principal of the School and will be announced to the student body in a timely manner.
XI.6 All students of the Caldwell High School and affiliated programs are eligible for the Academic Letter but may not be eligible for STUDENT OF THE GRADING PERIOD as they are not in direct contact on a continuing basis with the Caldwell High School faculty.
ARTICLE XII
Funds and Financing
XII.1 Annual dues for the Organization shall be set in categories of membership. All membership levels shall have a voting right at general meetings with the exception of student membership.
XII.1a Student $1.00
XII.1b Family/Individual $5.00
XII.1c Business $25.00 minimum
XII.2 Other levels of contribution/membership may be accepted by the Organization, as well as one time gifting, scholarship funds or special contributions.
XII.3 Special recognition categories shall be accepted and given attention in all means possible:
XII.3a Supporter $100 - $199
XII.3b Sponsor $200 - $299
XII.3c Benefactor $300 - $399
XII.3d Patron $400 –$599
XII.3e Sustaining Member $600 +
XII.4 Membership in the Organization shall be for a period of one year, January 1 through December 31, and renewable on a yearly basis. Exception to this structure is the level of Patron and Sustaining categories, whereby a gift is considered a lifetime of the giver membership. The Organization will accept further contributions from these sponsors at the discretion of the giver. As well, a contributor at this level may hold another level of membership, but does not have a voting privilege greater than one.
Adopted and effected: 5/7/07 period for membership change.
XII.5 Revenues from sources other than dues may be raised as recommended by the officers and approved by the plurality of membership of the Organization.
XII.6 Approval of expenditures less than $250.00 shall require the majority of the Endorsements and Fulfillment Committee at a regular or special meeting which has a quorum.
XII.7 Approval of expenditures greater than $250.00 has require the majority of the general membership present at a regular or special meeting which has a quorum.
AMMENDMENT
To the Bylaws
Caldwell Honors for Students Organization
Amended and Accepted by the Executive Committee
May 15, 1995
ARTICLE XIII
First amendment to Bylaws dated 7 November 1994
In order to meet the organization test for exemption under section 501 (c) (3), of the Internal Revenue Code, the organization shall subscribe and adhere to the following:
Said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
No part of the net earnings of the organization shall insure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on the behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or by (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Upon dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purpose.
This amendment is accepted by signature of the officers of this organization and made a permanent part of the bylaws and the permanent records thereof this 15th day of May 1995.
This document has been duly recorded and made a permanent part of the Bylaws of the Caldwell Honors for Students Organization.